PROJECTS
BiorteX currently has a number of active projects, many of which can accommodate interns and students.
CordyliDARE
An Open-Access Data Repository for Cordylid Lizards
Cordyline lizards (Cordylinae) are a remarkable radiation of southern African girdled lizards, inhabiting diverse habitats from coastal lowlands to mountain peaks, deserts, and subtropical regions. Their unique traits—armour, viviparity, and melanism, to name a few—make them valuable models for ecological and evolutionary studies. Yet, comprehensive morphological, genetic, and ecological data remain scarce. CordyliDARE addresses this gap by building one of the most extensive open-access datasets of cordyline lizards across South Africa.
Combating the illegal trade in Armadillo lizards
Armadillo lizards are increasingly targeted by the illegal pet trade, with hundreds confiscated each year and many more likely removed undetected from the wild. Our project creates the first integrative forensic “fingerprint” for the species, combining genetic, isotopic, and morphological data to trace confiscated lizards back to their source populations. This tool will support law enforcement, guide the responsible release of animals, and inform conservation strategies to protect these iconic reptiles across South Africa.
Adaptive variation in the Cape girdled lizard
This project uses the Cape girdled lizard (Cordylus cordylus) as a model system to examine how environmental heterogeneity influences phenotypic, ecological, and genetic variation across natural populations. By integrating morphological, colour, microhabitat, genetic, and isotopic data sampled along a coastal–montane environmental gradient, the project addresses key questions in evolutionary ecology while generating open-access data and curated genetic resources for future research.